Method of determining the beam convergence of a focused charged particle beam, and charged particle beam system

Abstract

A method of determining a beam convergence of a charged particle beam (11) focused by a focusing lens (120) toward a sample (10) in a charged particle beam system (100) is provided. The method includes (a) taking one or more images of the sample when the sample is arranged at one or more defocus distances from a respective beam focus of the charged particle beam; (b) retrieving one or more beam cross sections from the one or more images; (c) determining one or more beam widths from the one or more beam cross sections; and (d) calculating at least one beam convergence value based on the one or more beam widths and the one or more defocus distances. Further, a charged particle beam system for imaging and/or inspecting a sample that is configured for any of the methods described herein is provided.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.